X admits content moderation lapses, assures Indian govt of full legal compliance

Social media platform X has acknowledged lapses in its handling of content and has assured the Indian government that it will fully comply with the country’s laws, government sources have said.

According to the sources, the company has already taken corrective measures by blocking about 3,500 pieces of content and deleting more than 600 accounts found to be in violation of regulations. X also reportedly assured authorities that it would no longer allow obscene imagery on the platform.

The actions followed directives issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which ordered the removal of vulgar, obscene and unlawful content circulating on the platform.

The directive specifically addressed content generated through X’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, which had come under scrutiny for producing or facilitating inappropriate material.

Sources said X informed the government that it is strengthening internal safeguards to prevent a recurrence.

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The company had earlier communicated to the Centre that it was introducing additional guardrails for Grok, including stricter image-generation filters and enhanced protections to prevent the misuse of user images.

MeitY is currently reviewing X’s detailed response, which outlines the steps taken to curb the spread of obscene and unlawful content and ensure compliance with Indian laws.

The review is expected to determine whether the measures implemented by the platform are sufficient or if further regulatory action will be required.

The development underscores the Indian government’s growing focus on enforcing digital content regulations, particularly in relation to emerging AI-driven tools, and signals increased scrutiny of global technology platforms operating within the country.